Bandh hits
banking and postal service
Striking impact: Several nationalised banks either wore a deserted look
with
skeleton staff or were forced to down shutters owing to strike called by trade
unions on Tuesday.
skeleton staff or were forced to down shutters owing to strike called by trade
unions on Tuesday.
Striking
impact: Several nationalised banks either wore a deserted look with skeleton
staff or were forced to down shutters owing to strike called by trade unions
on Tuesday.
Operations
in most public sector banks were disrupted while postal and transport services
were partially affected on Tuesday in the wake of general strike called by the
Central trade unions.
Several
industries around the city, including Ashok Leyland and T.I. Group, were also
affected as employees stayed away.
With
15 bank unions, including All India Bank Employees Association and Bank
Employees Federation of India, on the forefront of the strike call, branches of
several public sector banks and some private banks remained closed owing to
thin attendance of employees.
The
strike was part of the nationwide bandh called by the unions against the hike
in prices of essential commodities and the new pension scheme.
Trade
unions held demonstrations across the city demanding setting up of a committee
for unorganised workers, fixing of Rs.10,000 as minimum monthly wage and strict
enforcement of labour laws.
Some
customers, like 70-year-old D. Leela, who were unaware of the strike, returned
home without carrying out their transaction. Ms. Leela, a resident of Kilpauk,
said, “My pension gets credited in this bank and I do not know how to operate
the ATM. I visit the bank only once or twice a month. I have to come again
tomorrow to withdraw cash.” Many branches wore a deserted look as most of the
clerical staff did not turn up for duty.
An
official of a nationalised bank in Anna Nagar said, “We had intimated customers
and put up notices in all branches asking them to complete their transactions
before Tuesday to avoid inconvenience. We filled cash in the ATMs on Monday.
But, cash cannot be replenished again as I need a clerical staff member to do
the task with me.”
Daily
operations of business people in the city were also affected. S. Lakshmi, a
resident of Avadi, said, “I had transferred money through RTGS (Real Time Gross
Settlement) from my branch to supplier's bank account three days ago. But it
has not reached the supplier. I have to wait till tomorrow to credit the cash
and also find out the status of earlier transaction.”
According
to banks' trade unions, nearly 14,000 of 18,000 employees in the city
participated in the strike. Staff of the Reserve Bank of India and the
insurance sector also took part in the bandh.
C.H.
Venkatachalam, general secretary of All India Bank Employees' Association,
said: “Cash and cheque clearing operations were affected in many banks in
Chennai. We are against banking reforms, outsourcing of permanent jobs and
privatisation.”
Members
of three unions — All India Bank Officers' Confederation, Indian National Bank
Officers Congress and National Union of Bank Employees — refrained from the
strike.
Postal
services too were hit as many customers avoided post offices fearing low
attendance. While head post offices had sufficient staff members with only 20
per cent remaining off duty, the smaller ones were affected by the strike. J.
Srivenkatesh, Circle president, All India Postal Employees' Union, Tamil Nadu
Circle, said that nearly 4,000 postal employees participated in the strike. Of
the nearly 220 post offices in Chennai and suburbs, about 190 did not have
full-fledged operations. As postmen were not available, delivery of letters and
speed posts were hit.
Residents
who went to tahsildar's offices in the suburbs, such as Ambattur, also returned
disappointed as there were not sufficient personnel to provide pattas or legal
heir certificates.
Commuters,
however, managed to travel to their destinations as more than half of the
Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses and autorickshaws plied. M.V. Krishnan,
vice-president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Chennai district, said nearly
40 per cent of the MTC buses and auto rickshaws were not operated.
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